Collapsible receptacle.



T. J. ALDRIDGE.

COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE APPLICATION man 020.4, I916.

1,282,162. Patented July 3,1917.

2 SHEETSSHE'ET I.

T.J.ALDB1DGE.

COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED nEc.4.191s.

1 ,232, 1 62., Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- THOMAS J. ALDRIDG-E, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

'FTQ.

ooLLAPsIBLn RECEPTACLE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS J. ALDRIDGE, a citizen ofthefUnited States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

' The object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of collapsible receptacle, the essence of the invention lying in the special arrangement of the constituent elements or walls thereof in such relation with respect to each other that when they are disposed in their unfolded position, a coaction of one with another exists which holds the receptacle in open extended form against collapse; v

It is further an object toprovide a receptacle of thistype that maybe cheaply manufactured, quickly assembled, and consisting primarily of only a pair of cooperating members forming the walls of the receptacle, each of which is foldable to provide the requisite sections to constitute such walls,

the receptacle being collapsible into flat compact form when not in use;

ings, wherein:

4 the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. a 1

Fig. 4c is a perspective view of the receptacle in collapsed or folded condition.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view with a side member unfolded or elevated and showing the flexible connections intermediate the its side members partly unfolded.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of one of themembers preliminary to folding of its sections along scored lines.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the cooperating member which is received by the member Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3 1917.

Application filed December 4, 1916. Serial No. 134,955.

shown in Fig. 8 in the formation of the receptacle.

Throughout the following detail description, and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Specifically describing the'invention and referring first to Figs. 8 and 9 of the oilicial drawings, A designates one of the main members or elements of the'receptacle, and B the second element, which elements are designed to be folded along transverse scored lines to produce foldable sections constituting the walls of the receptacle. More particularly, the member A is folded along the lines 1 to form the front section 2, the bottom section 3, the back section 4 and the top or cover section 5. It will be noted that these sections are elongated in shape and thus an elongated receptacle is provided but the particular size or form of the receptacle may readily be changed by the use of a proper sized foldable element. The numeral 6 designates flexible strips of fabric or equivalent foldable material, one at ca ch side of the member A, each forming a connection between the back and front sections of this member. These connections may be glued or otherwise fastened at their respective ends. The member B is folded along the lines 1 transversely to provide the end sections 7 at opposite ends of the central or bottom section 8. The end sections are apertured as indicated at 9 for a purpose to be pointed out hereinafter.

The member B is preferably disposed within the member A with the bottom 8 thereof glued or otherwise attached to the bottom section 3 of the last mentioned member. As shown most clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the end sections 7 will lie within the extremities of the ends of the side sections 2 and 5 and when the box is un folded into its extended receptacle form, said end members are raised against the flexible connections 6 and in such position the ends hold the sides of the receptacle apart against collapse. The ends 7 furthermore extend slightlyabove the plane of the top of the receptacle so that when the top section or cover 5 is folded into operative position it is interposed between the upper extremities of said end sections and thereby prevents them from moving inwardly into collapsed condition.

In the use of the smaller containers con structed in accordance with the foregoing description, it is preferable to use a fastening strip or similar seal indicatedat 10 in Fig. 1, though on larger containers this maybe dispensed with. 7 extend above thetop ofthe receptacle so as to enable'theinsertion in the apertiires'9 of a handle member which consists "of a piece of wire or similar material designated 11. The ends of the wires are twisted and since the handle extends over the top or cover, the cover is locked in the closed position by said handle. In other words the handle may constitute an efiective seal.

The container which forms the] subject matter of this invention is particularly adapted for transmission or carrying of such articles as eggs and in the embodiment disclosed by the ofiicial drawings, it is shown as an egg container though obviously it may be used for other purposes. When used as an egg container, however, the usual foldable filler or partition l2is disposed in the container andthe size of said container controls the quantity of eggs thatmay be carried by the same.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 7 respectively, the walls of the container may be folded inwardly to collapse the receptacle and this requires where the filler is employed that saidfiller be folded also initially and disposed upon the bottom of the receptacle preliminary to the folding 'of the side walls thereupon. In such collapsed condition the receptacle may be returned to' the sender or stored in a small space.

By the formation of the receptacle in the above manner, it will be noted a double bottom and double end walls are provided so that the receptacle is of suificientstrength to withstand the strains incident to the use of the article as a package carrier.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new is:

1. A collapsible receptacle comprising spaced side members, connecting means connecting' said' side members together; end members disposed between the side membersand "movable into position against the connecting means aforesaid to form the end closures of the receptacle and to hold said side members "apart, and meansfmovable into position between the end 'membe'rs'to hold the latter operatively disposed between the last means and said connecting means.

2. Af collapsible" receptacle comprising spaced side members, connecting means connecting said side members together, end

As above mentioned the ends" members disposed between the side members and movable into position against the connecting means aforesaid to form the end closures of the receptacle and to hold said side members apart, and means movable into position between the end members to hold the latter against said connecting means, said last mentioned means constituting the cover for the receptacle.

3. A collapsible receptacle comprising a bottom andspaced connected side members, a fabric connecting strip fixedly joined to the side members at each end to hold themflexible connections extending across the ends of said receptacle and .connecting the said side members, andend members foldable between the-side members and arranged to extend slightly above the plane of the top ofthe receptacle and engage the flexible connections when the latter is in unfolded position, the top aforesaid lying between the endmembers when the receptacle is in said unfolded positionto thereby hold said receptacle against collapse.

5. A collapsible receptacle comprising a pairof coeperating members, one of said members being provided withv a series of fold lines to form the top, bottom and side sections of the receptacle, the other member having foldable sections forming the end sections and a supplemental bottom section of'the receptacle and one of said members being disposed within the other, with their bottoms secured together.

6. A collapsible receptacle comprising a pair of coep'erating members, one of said members being provided with a series of foldable sections constituting bottom, side and top elements, flexible end strips con- I necting the side elements, the other of said members being provided with foldable sections constituting a bottom and end sections, the last mentioned member being seated within the first mentioned member with the end sections held against the strips by the interposed top element, and a handle adapted to be attached to the end sections aforesaid over the top section of the first mentioned member. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS J. 'ALDRIDGE.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for fivelce'nts each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, 1). c. 

